You no doubt paid good money for your car. Don’t throw that money away because you failed to take good care of your investment. Learning a few things about how your car works and what it is trying to tell you can go a long way toward keeping it on the road and out of the repair shop.
The Gauges
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Start by learning your gauges. Every car has an assortment of gauges on the dashboard designed to keep the driver informed about what is happening under the hood. Most of us know what the fuel gauge is trying to tell us, but many of us fail to realize the oil gauge is just as important. The oil gauge is designed to monitor the oil pressure inside the motor, not whether or not your vehicle has enough oil. If you wait for the oil gauge to notify you your motor needs oil, you will definitely be waiting too long and will likely destroy your engine.
The oil gauge will let you know if your engine is suffering severe internal damage caused by wear. Remember to monitor your engine oil level regularly by checking the dipstick under the hood and you can avoid seeing a bad reading on your oil gauge. Wait too long between oil changes, or let your oil run low, and risk destroying your engine completely.
Your vehicle dashboard likely has a temperature gauge on it as well. This gauge monitors the internal temperature of your engine. It probably also has an indicator light which will alert you if coolant levels drop too low. Without the proper amount of coolant your engine will overheat and shut down. This means you need to add coolant, but how much to add and how to add it without burning yourself on superheated fluid inside the radiator are very important things to know. Adding cold radiator fluid to an overheated engine could result in a cracked motor head, permanently disabling your engine.
You should always let the engine cool at least slightly before even attempting to add engine coolant. Check your engine coolant regularly, make certain it is topped up with the proper radiator coolant and you won’t have a problem with your temperature gauge.
The Belts
As long as you are learning to check fluids under the hood, you should consider checking the wear on your belts, too. Your engine likely has a series of belts that control equipment like your air conditioner, alternator and engine timing. These belts do not last forever and the more you drive your car the more likely they are to wear out. Check your belts when the engine is cold and you have good lighting. Turn them slightly and check the underside for cracks or signs of wear. You can also get a good idea of the belt condition by simply listening to your engine. A worn out belt will likely make a squealing sound while the engine is running. If your engine starts making funny noises, or your gauges start registering something unusual, time to get your engine serviced and protect your investment!
